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Pilot Scoop: The Borgias

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 06:00:00 PDT

Now that The Tudors is long gone, the folks over at Showtime are attempting to fill the void with their brand new historical series, The Borgias. Before the show premieres tonight, here's a rundown on everything you need to know.

What it's about: Jeremy Irons stars as Rodrigo Borgia, a cardinal who rises to power when he seizes the Roman papacy through corrupt means during the Renaissance. As Pope Alexander VI, he struggles to stay one step ahead of his enemies and protect his family, which includes sons Cesare and Juan, and daughter Lucrezia. Cesare has his own inner conflict as a bishop who would rather be a warrior like his brother Juan, while teenage Lucrezia represents an opportunity to add to her family's power through a conveniently arranged marriage with someone of her father's choosing - even if that's not what she wants.

Where it works: It's hard to deny the gorgeous sets and costumes as The Borgias takes us back to Renaissance Italy and all that comes with it. Irons gives a rich performance that's entertaining and sparks intrigue, and I was also impressed with François Arnaud as Cesare.

Where it doesn't: Showtime has been touting the show as a historical version of The Godfather, as it centers on one of the biggest crime families in history. Unfortunately, the pilot just doesn't pack much punch. It's pretty, but the plot moves at a snail's pace and none of the characters are truly captivating. It's possible that we're just getting the tip of the iceberg here, but I wanted more soapiness and drama - even with a few sex scenes, this is no substitute for The Tudors.

Am I hooked? I'm sorry to say that I'm not. I'll stick with it for a few more episodes, but if it doesn't pick up the pace soon, I'm afraid it's going to have a hard time finding an audience that will keep coming back.

To watch a preview for the show, just

Link Time - Alec Baldwin Still Plans to Quit Acting in 2012

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:00:00 PDT

Alec Baldwin is sticking to his plan to retire when his 30 Rock contract expires - CNN
Richard Dreyfuss will guest star on the next season of Weeds - TV Squad
Jeremy Irons joins indie movie Margin Call - Deadline Hollywood
10 critically acclaimed movie musicals - Rotten Tomatoes
Secrets from the set of True Blood - PopWatch
Steve Carell talks about leaving The Office on The Today Show - Gawker TV
The Vampire Diaries and other "shameless" post-Twilight vampire projects - Vulture
Would you do, dump, or marry Joseph Gordon-Levitt? - TresSugar
Looks like Javier Bardem isn't coming to Glee after all - Zap2it

Appaloosa: Solid Entertainment But Could Have Been More

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:33:32 PDT

Appaloosa is a totally passable and - to my surprise - fun (and funny) Western movie. I'm amazed Ed Harris, the star/director/co-writer of the film, hasn't played more gunslingers, because his face was built for it. Under the shadow of a wide-brimmed hat, his skin looks believably weathered and creased, his bone structure sturdy and chiseled. By contrast, Harris's costar, Viggo Mortensen, is not what I think of when I think "cowboy." He's long and lean and hardly recognizable under a strange (but probably historically accurate) haircut and facial hair. His character drags around one of those giant long-barreled shotguns as opposed to expertly twirling a smaller one out of his holster.

The pair make a fine acting duo; they have an easy chemistry I could watch all night long. Beyond that, Appaloosa tells a well-thought-out story. But unlike Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven or last year's remake of 3:10 to Yuma, there is no new cinematic ground being broken here. For the most part, it's simply a traditional Western, which - depending on your outlook - can either be a great way to spend a night at the movies or a teensy bit disappointing. To see what I mean, just

read more. Harris plays Virgil Cole, a man who makes a living off the lawless frontier by helping out towns overrun with criminal activity. When we first meet Virgil and his deputy, Everett Hitch (Mortensen), it's clear the two men have known each other for a while; they're the Old West dude-equivalent of BFFs. They can read each other's body language, complete each other's sentences, and are committed to having each other's backs. It's touching and pretty cute without ever being silly. Not even the charms of a new gal in town, Allie French (Renee Zellweger), can shake up the loyalty between the friends. They arrive in Appaloosa, New Mexico, at the request of the business leaders there to help rid the town of a criminal menace named Randall Bragg (played by Jeremy Irons, sporting a strange American accent). Irons plays evil eloquently, and it suits his character well, but it's hard to get over seeing him in cowboy boots in this dusty town. Physically, he doesn't move like the others; it's hard to tell if this is inspired casting or just weird. Anyway, Virgil, in order to get the job done, declares himself the top law dog, and from there the stage is set for a showdown of some sort in a coral. To Harris's credit, what could have been a totally predicable movie is not. Zellweger's Allie is one of the most interesting, complicated female characters I've seen in the genre, and just when you think you know the outcome of a given scene, the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. To that end, it's a great ride. On the negative side, lots of little moments wrapped up in those twists are never really explored or given much weight. There's a moment near the beginning when all the fun cowboy stuff abruptly ends and Harris's character beats the crap out of someone for no good reason. We've warmed up to the guy only to learn he's a live wire with an ambiguous sense of justice. It's intriguing but glossed over. Digging in to his psyche is the kind of thing that could have made this movie great, but as it is, it's just a darn good story come to life by darn good actors. Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Movie Preview: Appaloosa

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:30:25 PDT

Appaloosa hasn't really been on my radar since the casting news was first announced over a year ago, which I find odd, especially since it stars some pretty big names, is directed by Ed Harris, and looks all Western epic-y. By contrast, we've had to see every new photo and poster and trailer for Australia as that film has been in production - and that one's coming out two months after this one. So, I find the lack of Appaloosa awareness to be strange.

Then again, the trailer's not totally fascinating. It's a dusty, dramatic Western. There are manly men (Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Jeremy Irons) and guns and a brief flash or two of a woman's face (Renee Zellweger). The plot description states, "Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow."

My favorite thing is the tagline on the movie's official website: "Feelings get you killed."

Is the fact that we haven't heard much about this a bad thing? Not necessarily. But I'm still a little puzzled. Appaloosa opens in limited release Sept. 17 before its wide release Oct. 3. To check out the trailer,

read more. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Link Time! 7/1

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:31:04 PDT

Popwatch writer Annie Barrett has a hilarious note that her mother passed to her father on a plane, explaining how to adjust the volume on an iPod, which prompted Annie to ask: What's the most basic technological instruction you've had to explain to the tragically unhip?
Best Week Ever is holding a quirk-off between Daniel Day-Lewis and Jeremy Irons.
LilSugar wants to know if you can handle any more Real Housewives.
Inspired by Amanda Seyfried's character's dilemma in Mamma Mia, FilmExperience wonders which of her three possible daddies would be your daddy: Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth or Stellan Skarsgård?
TV Squad names some of the best Six Feet Under corpses, including the one that makes me scared to ever put my head through the roof of a limo.
Cinematical ponders whether or not Robin has any place in Christopher Nolan's Batman movies.
Lucky TV with MeeVee has seen three hours of Generation Kill, and it sounds like everything I'd hope it would be.
One brave contributor to The TV Addict lays out some reasons for hating Lost.

Kelsey Grammer Wins the Golden Globe For Best Actor, TV Drama

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:37:41 PST

Kelsey Grammer is this year's Golden Globe winner for best actor in a TV drama for Boss! This is his first season of the series, and he beat out Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Jeremy Irons, and Damian Lewis. How do you feel about this win?

Which Hot Guy Do You Want to See More of in 2012?

Katie Henry — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:04:00 PST

We've just said goodbye to an exciting 2011, and now it's time to look forward to the next 12 months! With another year comes a handful of hot actors whose stars are on the rise. There are some up-and-comers we're particularly excited to follow. Max Irons and Damon Wayans Jr. learned the tricks of the trade from their famous fathers Jeremy and Damon, while Chris Pratt starred opposite another famous dad, Brad Pitt, in Moneyball. Michael Fassbender received critical acclaim for his recent work, and nude scenes, in Shame, and Henry Cavill is sure to captivate audiences with his acting chops and six-pack in Man of Steel. British imports Dominic Cooper and Sam Claflin are noteworthy leading men, while Canadian Suits star Patrick Adams just picked up a SAG nomination for his small screen role. So, tell us - which guy do you want to see more of this year?

Announcing the 2012 Golden Globe Nominations!

Becky Kirsch — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:00:38 PST

Well, folks, we're finally getting into the heavy hitters of award season, as the 2012 Golden Globe nominees were announced this morning. As expected, award season darlings The Artist and The Descendants led the way with five nods apiece, but there are plenty of surprises here, too. George Clooney is going to have a big night, as his The Ides of March scored four nods, including one for him as a director. Ryan Gosling managed to score two nods for acting, for Crazy, Stupid, Love as well as Ides.

In the TV categories, new shows ruled as nods for New Girl, Game of Thrones, Boss, Episodes, Enlightened, and Homeland made the list - and that's not all. Zooey Deschanel scored a best actress nod, as did Mireille Enos for her work on The Killing and Laura Dern for Enlightened.

We'll be breaking down all of the surprises and snubs later today, but for now, check out the full list of nominees when you

read more. MOVIES BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA The Descendants Moneyball The Help Hugo The Ides of March War Horse BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY 50/50 The Artist Bridesmaids Midnight in Paris My Week With Marilyn BEST DIRECTOR Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris George Clooney, The Ides of March Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Alexander Payne, The Descendants Martin Scorsese, Hugo BEST ACTOR, DRAMA George Clooney, The Descendants Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar Michael Fassbender, Shame Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March Brad Pitt, Moneyball BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs Viola Davis, The Help Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jean Dujardin, The Artist Brendan Gleeson, The Guard Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50 Ryan Gosling, Crazy, Stupid, Love Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jodie Foster, Carnage Charlize Theron, Young Adult Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn Kate Winslet, Carnage BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn Albert Brooks, Drive Jonah Hill, Moneyball Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method Christopher Plummer, Beginners BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Bérénice Bejo, The Artist Jessica Chastain, The Help Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer, The Help Shailene Woodley, The Descendants BEST SCREENPLAY Midnight in Paris The Ides of March The Descendants Moneyball Bridesmaids BEST ANIMATED FILM The Adventures of Tintin Arthur Christmas Cars 2 Puss in Boots Rango BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The Artist W.E. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Hugo War Horse BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE The Flowers of War In the Land of Blood and Honey The Kid With a Bike A Separation The Skin I Live In BEST ORIGINAL SONG "Hello, Hello," Gnomeo and Juliet "The Keeper," Machine Gun Preacher "Lay Your Head Down," Albert Nobbs "The Living Proof," The Help "Masterpiece," W.E. TV BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA American Horror Story Boardwalk Empire Boss Game of Thrones Homeland BEST TV SERIES, COMEDY Enlightened Episodes Glee Modern Family New Girl BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad Kelsey Grammer, Boss Jeremy Irons, The Borgias Damian Lewis, Homeland BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA Claire Danes, Homeland Mireille Enos, The Killing Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness Madeleine Stowe, Revenge BEST ACTOR, TV COMEDY Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock David Duchovny, Californication Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory Thomas Jane, Hung Matt LeBlanc, Episodes BEST ACTRESS, TV COMEDY Laura Dern, Enlightened Zooey Deschanel, New Girl Tina Fey, 30 Rock Laura Linney, The Big C Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation BEST MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Mildred Pierce Too Big to Fail Cinema Verite Downton Abbey The Hour BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION William Hurt, Too Big to Fail Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey Idris Elba, Luther Bill Nighy, Page Eight Dominic West, Appropriate Adult BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Diane Lane, Cinema Verite Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce Romola Garai, The Hour BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Lange, American Horror Story Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire Sofia Vergara, Modern Family Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce

Watch the Explosive, Exciting Trailer For The Avengers!

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:36:39 PDT

If you've seen Thor, Captain America, or either of the Iron Man movies, you have a pretty good idea of what you can expect from the first trailer for The Avengers, but that's a big part of the fun. The film calls together those three superheroes, along with Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). As expected, the group doesn't exactly mesh well when they're called to action by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), mostly because they've all got different personalities and temperament. Robert Downey Jr. is the center of attention (at least in this preview), with his snark providing the brunt of the comic relief. Still, the jokes are only made better by the reactions of arrogant Thor, nice-guy Captain America, and so on.

Though the actual premise of the story focuses on The Avengers trying to protect the world from Thor's villainous brother, Loki, it's clear that the real story here is the introduction of the group as a whole and the story of how they came together. I'm definitely looking forward to this one, if not just because I've grown to love many of these characters in their own right. The film doesn't open until next summer, but watch the preview (and be sure to stay tuned to the end for your first glimpse of the hulk), when you

read more. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The Avengers Aren't Just Superheroes, They're Cover Models

Becky Kirsch — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:30:19 PDT

The cast of The Avengers - Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo - are all decked out in costume on the cover of this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly. Despite the fact that the cover looks a bit doctored (and Ruffalo appears to be doing his best "Blue Steel"), I'm always excited to get new glimpses of the upcoming superhero blockbuster. In the issue, the cast talks about what it was like making the film (surprise, surprise: RJD tried to hog the spotlight) while writer/director Joss Whedon discusses the pressure he felt when putting the pieces together. Here are highlights:

Downey on initially pushing Whedon for Iron Man to lead the charge: "I said, ‘I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing. He [Whedon] was like, ‘OK, let’s try that.’ We tried it, and it didn’t work. Because this is a different sort of thing. Everybody is just an arm of the octopus."
Evans on how shooting in New Mexico brought the cast together: "Any time you film somewhere where nobody is from, you’re forced to hang out together off set. No one knows anybody, no one has any prior obligations out here, no one has any dinner plans because we’re all alone."
Whedon on his experience as director: "Every day I make some boneheaded mistake. And I go, ‘Really? Wow. So no learning curve, huh?’ There is a weird element of: They handed me one of the biggest movies of all time, and I’m making it up as I go."

To see a bigger version over the cover, just keep reading.